Am I going backwards? Wanted a white chimaera

[bezza911]

Hi All,
just a quick introduction and a hunt for the right car. I have had 2 x 911's and recently sold them to get the wife a family wagon of her choice. Well some spare funds have come in and I am leaning towards a TVR Chimaera. I will use the car in Germany. 911's are everywhere over in the land of sausage and a stigma exists that only wkers drive them (kidding, just the new ones) and the TVR is a little bit special. Apart from that, if carefully selected, incredible value.

I am looking for a white car, or possibly a grey one. No idea how many were delivered in factory white, but it appears there are not so many about. If any one has a white car for sale here in the UK then please get in touch... I am happy to wait for the right one to come along.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi and admit that I am going in reverse.... Most people I read have gone from TVR to Porsche.... Really looking forward to a V8 and something different...

Thanks in advance to the endless questions about to be asked by me in the near future.

Bez

[Chilliman]

bezza911 said:

Anyway, just wanted to say hi and admit that I am going in reverse.... Most people I read have gone from TVR to Porsche.... Bez

[450Nick]

My dad has now had the original Cayman S, a 997 C2 S convertible and now the new Cayman S and drove them all every day. He won't drive my Chim as it scares him too much.

Lovely cars the Porsches, and nice to drive - but they're essentially fast euroboxes for getting you to and from work. A TVR is rather a different thing; I wouldn't say you're going backwards at all - you're going sideways to something infinitely more characterful.

[PGNTuscan]

Chilliman said:

bezza911 said:

Anyway, just wanted to say hi and admit that I am going in reverse.... Most people I read have gone from TVR to Porsche.... Bez

911 to a Tuscan over here. you are definitely going forward Bez....

[bezza911]

"My dad has now had the original Cayman S, a 997 C2 S convertible and now the new Cayman S and drove them all every day. He won't drive my Chim as it scares him too much."

Hey Nick450, your Dad sounds like the typical Porsche guy I mentioned earlier.....

[Julesprivate]

bezza911 said:

Hi All,
Anyway, just wanted to say hi and admit that I am going in reverse.... Most people I read have gone from TVR to Porsche.... Really looking forward to a V8 and something different...Bez

And it was all going so well right up until that point...

TBH, if you genuinely think like that (and bear in mind that when typing it's sometimes something rooted in your subconcious that chooses the phrase) then I suspecta TVR is not the car for you.. If you feel you're going in reverse, you're never going to be happy.

On the other hand - IMHO you're wrong anyway , TVR is definitely the way forward.

Have you thought about just buying a good one and then having it sprayed white? If you're going to be using it in Germany and you plan to export it from the UK you could do the colour change at the same time and it wouldn't effect residuals if you ever brought it back here....

[450Nick]

As far as I'm aware, there are very few white ones (I can only remember seeing one - retrowheels on here) so you may be waiting a long time for a white one...

[Hot1]

This year I have seen two white ones forsale one which sold quite recent! It could be a long wait but you never know!

[bezza911]

Funny enough, there was 2 in the various websites, both are gone.... One was a "Le Mans" with a few gulf decals, the other a tidy one from a TVR specialist... Snooze I lose.

I would prefer to keep it original and not paint another car white, as I may end up taking it back to Australia with me, and with any car, originality is important. I guess I could possibly wrap a car.....

[Julesprivate]

bezza911 said:

I could possibly wrap a car.....

Have a look at "Plastidip" - you could do that yourself if you prep well and have access to a workshop/booth.

I've done the wheels on mine, and liked it so much i've painted several components on my bike black (they do it is white as well as various other colours).

It's actually quite easy to do (easier than spraying) and even the masking proces is simplified (you hardly need to bother...)

Check it out on youtube..

[fatboychim]

450Nick said:

My dad has now had the original Cayman S, a 997 C2 S convertible and now the new Cayman S and drove them all every day. He won't drive my Chim as it scares him too much.

Lovely cars the Porsches, and nice to drive - but they're essentially fast euroboxes for getting you to and from work. A TVR is rather a different thing; I wouldn't say you're going backwards at all - you're going sideways to something infinitely more characterful.

However Nick, yours is no average Chim!!! Yours would scare the Stig. How is it these days haven't seen you or it for some time?
On topic, I have only seen a pearlised white one when I was looking to buy mine some 10 years ago.

[bezza911]

Hi Jules,
looked at the plastidippping, thing the wrapping is a better option, apparently the plastidip does have some adherance issues.

[450Nick]

fatboychim said:

However Nick, yours is no average Chim!!! Yours would scare the Stig. How is it these days haven't seen you or it for some time?
On topic, I have only seen a pearlised white one when I was looking to buy mine some 10 years ago.

Ok it is a bit modded, but the characterful comment and the general principle of having to take responsibility for driving it properly hold for all TVRs I think..

Yeah I've been away for a bit, the chim was off the road for about 2 years now as it needed a refresh so I put it on ice for a bit and concentrated on getting the Tuscan racer built up with tvr guru Steve Howard. Was hoping to make this seasons racing with it but sadly we didn't make it as there was rather a lot to do so gone back to doing the chim.

It's had quite a bit done now: respray, MK3 lights, new outriggers, all new ball joints, bushes and all chassis bolts, engine out, new bearings, rings, cam, clutch, trumpets, inlet manifold, gaskets, oil pump and general overhaul. Engine should be back in this week though so should be back on the road next weekend with a bit of luck! Can't wait to drive the old girl again!

The Tuscan shouldn't be too far behind either - that's going to be really special when its done



Sorry.. Back on topic..!!

Edited by 450Nick on Thursday 29th August 22:35

[andyg1]

I'd like to share my anecdote. I bought a Chimaera last October. I'd always wanted a TVR one and the timing (finance and circumstances) were right to get myself a Chimaera - a 400 was within my budget.

I'd long considered a Mercedes SL to be the car I'd get to one day - I'd work up to it over the years. Well as it happened on that day I went to look at a Chimaera for the first time I got a lift of a mate - a mate who drove an SL...

Well it was the first time I'd been in an SL and it would be the first time I'd been in a TVR too - yeah I admit it's strange to dream about and desire a car you've never been in.

Given all I've said above, the situation couldn't have been set up better - going in an SL to view a Chimaera - but that strangely would be the thing that blew my view of cars apart. Despite the comfort, luxury, high standard finish and effortless performance of the SL all it felt like to me was a soulless, boring, unimaginative, characterless car that did most of the driving for you. Then there was the TVR with its shouty exhaust, over engineered V8, breathtaking performance, and above anything else a drive that was an entirely different experience.

It's a driver's car. You don't feel alive in the SL but you really feel alive in the TVR. If it that which you seek then you definitely aren't taking a backward step. Unimaginative and characterless it is not...

[bezza911]

Ha Nick 450
I see why your Dad sticks to the porsche, that thing looks mental.

[bezza911]

andyg1 said:

I'd like to share my anecdote. I bought a Chimaera last October. I'd always wanted a TVR one and the timing (finance and circumstances) were right to get myself a Chimaera - a 400 was within my budget.

I'd long considered a Mercedes SL to be the car I'd get to one day - I'd work up to it over the years. Well as it happened on that day I went to look at a Chimaera for the first time I got a lift of a mate - a mate who drove an SL...

Well it was the first time I'd been in an SL and it would be the first time I'd been in a TVR too - yeah I admit it's strange to dream about and desire a car you've never been in.

Given all I've said above, the situation couldn't have been set up better - going in an SL to view a Chimaera - but that strangely would be the thing that blew my view of cars apart. Despite the comfort, luxury, high standard finish and effortless performance of the SL all it felt like to me was a soulless, boring, unimaginative, characterless car that did most of the driving for you. Then there was the TVR with its shouty exhaust, over engineered V8, breathtaking performance, and above anything else a drive that was an entirely different experience.

It's a driver's car. You don't feel alive in the SL but you really feel alive in the TVR. If it that which you seek then you definitely aren't taking a backward step. Unimaginative and characterless it is not...

It's the exact reason why I want a TVR. Have a couple of ducati cafe racers, I am knackered after 30 mins riding, getting old, and back to 4 wheels for me.

Anyone interested in a beautiful Ducati 900SS cafe racer?

[Julesprivate]

bezza911 said:

Hi Jules,
looked at the plastidippping, thing the wrapping is a better option, apparently the plastidip does have some adherance issues.

You're probably right, wrapping looks to have a longer life expectancy :-)

I've sprayed a ton of stuff with plastidip and if you do it right (i.e. multiple thin layers built up) it seems to stick to almost anything. I've even sprayed directly on top of chrome with no prep work and it's been fine - but easily damaged...

[bezza911]

Julesprivate said:

You're probably right, wrapping looks to have a longer life expectancy :-)

I've sprayed a ton of stuff with plastidip and if you do it right (i.e. multiple thin layers built up) it seems to stick to almost anything. I've even sprayed directly on top of chrome with no prep work and it's been fine - but easily damaged...

Yeah that's the problem, it does stick to anything, and when the time comes and you want to remove it, well that can be a little difficult apparently..

[Julesprivate]

bezza911 said:

Yeah that's the problem, it does stick to anything, and when the time comes and you want to remove it, well that can be a little difficult apparently..

Ahhh I see what you mean - actually that's not much of a problem if you spray it on correctly. I've done the wheels on the Chim, peeled it off (one got damaged when a BMW rammed me) and then resprayed it. I'll be removing it from a chrome rack on the bike after next weekend as i'll damage it with bungies when going camping... Then I'll just spray it on again.

If you put 4+ light coats on, with a ~10 min interval between them it will literally peel off when it's dry, it's more like liquid latex than paint.

If you buy a can from www.plastidip.co.uk you can always experiment and see what you think.

Once it's on, it is fine to drive within an hour, but continues to strengthen the bond for a few days, so a week or so later it's one, smooth "skin" that if you want to take off you just roll and edge then peel.

One big negative though is it's not "pertol proof", (it melts LOL) so that may be another think that takes it out of the running. On the other hand that same "weakness" means you can repair holes & tears easily by melting the edges with solvent until it's blended then spraying that area again...

TBH, I had a bike fairing carbon wrapped once, when I was selling the bike I went to remove the wrap and the paint on one panel came off with it, so my experience of wrapping wasn't the greatest... But I suspect that's because that panel had been previously repaired and they hadn't keyed the panel before paint so the wrap just made things worse (not the wraps fault I guess).

Wrapping is a more established solution, I've seen some great results with it, I'm sure you'd be pleased..

[Julesprivate]

Oh and one big point with Plastidip

ON NO ACCOUNT USE THE PRIMER - Unless it's a permanent colour change you're after.

That stuff is amazing - but IMPOSSIBLE to remove... I wonder if that's what you're refering to?





I should probably apologise for changing the thread direction...



Good luck in the hunt for a Chimaera, a 430BV would be great but i think (as has been said) they're all pre-serps.

Do you care about the facelift/pre-facelift front/rear?

Edited by Julesprivate on Friday 30th August 11:37